Falling
by verilywesailalong
Summary: Sarah is back in the Labyrinth due to some mysterious circumstances. Can she yet again journey through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered? Will she survive this time? Read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

_Falling - _

_As the pain sweeps through,_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill is gone_

_Wasn't too much fun at all,_

_But I'll be there for you_

_As the world falls down_

_-As the World Falls Down, David Bowie_

She was falling.

It was a familiar sensation.

She had had this dream before.

She fell, as the world shattered around her; crystalline shards, a flurry of white fabric, pieces of the world guiding her back to earth.

She was not afraid.

It was familiar.

Her mind was blank, comforted by the familiarity.

It was a slow fall into darkness.

She was calm.

The darkness was warm.

Her fall was slow and controlled.

She was floating.

She was lulled by it.

The darkness was unrelenting.

She couldn't remember how she got here.

The darkness was reaching for her.

Small tendrils began to touch her, tangibly.

They were pulling at her hair, nipping her skin, and pulling her clothes.

There was something borderline violent about it.

As they picked and pulled something was becoming clear. As if being a memory was being dragged from the depths of her clouded mind. She was fearful now. As her heart rate increased so did the gravity.

The wind was rushing past her.

Her heart racing, the thoughts tumbling around in her head completely indecipherable, tendrils of darkness whipping her, as she fell, her trajectory becoming more and more like her thoughts. She was tumbling now. Her body was spiraling, out of control. They were grasping at her as she plummeted. Shards of darkness were slicing at her. Tendrils were reaching out to seize her. The dark was violently asserting its grip upon her. The small strands of darkness were picking her apart bit by bit trying to reach something deep inside her. It was as if it was hoping to pry something from the depths of her soul.

The ground was still nowhere in sight.

But something was rushing up to meet her, something blacker than the emptiness of her surroundings. Totally void of light and darker even than the tendrils, it reached for her. She began to slow. As it rose up to meet her, it caressed her cheek.

Like a friend,

There to catch her when the ground was not.

Like a lover,

Reaching to caress her.

She slammed into it, her momentum sharply arrested.

However, it was there to catch her, when the ground was not; cradling her like a babe. Its touch soothed the aches of her body, that had felt as if it were falling apart at the seams. The darkness swirled around her, cloaking her from the whipping tendrils. She felt supported as if it were bringing her over a threshold.

As the violence of the journey and subsequent stop subsided, she felt a cold deep inside her. It was colder than anything she had ever felt, not painful simply the absence of warmth.

The deep darkness began to coalesce into a humanoid form, so could feel its arms holding her now, pulling her into its chest. She could feel it. Its presence was masculine, lithe and strong, smelling of ash and decaying earth. It, no, he was cradling her but where there should have been warmth of contact, there was nothing but a deep chill, she began to shake uncontrollably. In some semblance of compassion, the dark figure wrapped her in his cloak. It felt like feathers, soft and light. It did nothing to warm her, but her shivering subsided. The calm was back. She could feel herself beginning to relax completely into the figure's arms. There was something familiar about his grasp, inevitable. She closed her eyes and began to sink into slumber's embrace, the waking world drifting away like the smoke from an extinguished candle.

As and a single white feather floated down towards her as she began to fall again. The feather gently touched her forehead. The world completely vanished in a flash of bright white light. she was beginning to slip away, she felt the figure lean in. He laid a cold kiss on one eyelid; she could feel his hair brush her forehead. She attempted to open her eyes in surprise, but they were heavy and cold. The one that had been kissed felt so much so, it was as if a heavy coin had been laid upon it.

This was when she began to feel fear. Nevertheless, she was too tired, too cold, too far gone to fight.

The figure moved to place a kiss on her other eye, she could feel the muscles moving through her abject terror.

It was then that she heard the screech of an owl and the strenuous flapping of wings.

It snapped Sarah out of her sleep. Her eyes shot open in time to see the dark figure turn back to shadow. 

**A/N: I'm baaaack! please be patient with me I'll try to update every other month. If you are enjoying what you read drop me a review. It really is the best motivation. **


	2. Chapter 2

Waking

"_Waking up from a deep sleep, I always seem to be discovering life for the first time." _

― _Marty Rubin_

She awoke on the hill of so many years ago. The sky was shades of orange, pink, and brown. The tree still gnarled and black but sparkling. The Castle Beyond the Goblin City was in fact in the distance. She lay in the scrub. Fingers curling around the dirt and straw. Feeling the dust as it blew over her, warm and dry, a welcome relief. Shivering as she touched upon the dream, she could still feel the chill of it. Pieces of it, were still vivid in her mind, fading fast. But what did it mean? How, and why, was she back here of all places?

This time, Jareth was nowhere to be seen. Sarah was not sorry about this fact. She was unceremoniously laying amongst the dry brush, still shivering; though the warm wind began to thaw her frozen bones. She closed her eyes, they were still heavy and slow. Her head and body still aching from both the cold and the tumultuous nature of her fall. With her eyes closed she was able to focus: First on the gently wind warming her numb extremities. Then, the smell of the Labyrinth warm and fresh like summer but also ancient, the smell of rock and dust also strong on the air. Finally, moving her mind to focus on her dream.

What had it meant? How had it brought her here? She remembered the screech of the owl and sound of its wings. Jareth. He used to keep watch as an owl. She remembered seeing him transform the night she had wished Toby away. She remembered seeing an owl from time to time standing silent sentinel: when she called on her friends to visit, or when she lost herself in a daydream, or when she woke from a deep-deep sleep. That part clicked in her brain, if it had in fact been the King of the Goblins, then this location was not so farfetched. Why had he appeared? And had he saved her or stolen her away? Sarah could recall the embrace of someone, someone cold and dark. Had that figure been a construct of a dream sent to her by the king again? Or something else entirely? Remembering the absolute comfort, she found in his arms, the inevitability of whatever would pass between them, she could not be sure. And the cold, the finality of it… Her limbs were beginning to thaw, but at the memory of the cold, an involuntary shudder passed through her.

Sarah took a deep breath; calming herself and focusing on the warmth again. She was dead-tired, but the thought of sleep was terrifying after the dream that… brought her here? She was having a difficult time putting the pieces together. If Jareth were behind this, was it because she had beaten the Labyrinth years before? But why had it felt as though the owl had saved her from something? She groaned with the effort of it all.

The Jareth she remembered, was the man from the shattered Escher room so many years ago. Angry, as he claimed to be everything her perception commanded him to be, pleading as he offered himself and her dreams to her at the price of her obedience, and the disappointment on his face as she had refused him. She had been young; thus, the full weight of his words had escaped her. However, even if she had realized his offer fully, she had not been ready for what he had offered. Sarah had mulled over those words for over a decade now, viewed them through a lens of maturity. Back then how could she have been expected to have any respect for Jareth? He had been dangerous and powerful, yet too aware of it. He had been an absolute show-off and a cheater.

Yet she knew now, in rejecting his offer, she had utterly crushed a man. And while he was a petulant man, who for his sheer power was so insecure that he had hoped to tempt a 16-year-old girl, he obviously had feelings. She groaned, leave it to her to have grown some empathy for the cad. He had tried to entice Sarah, with her selfish dreams, into worshipful submission. "Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave" the words rang in her ears. She blushed at the thought of Jareth being her slave; ignoring for the moment the price of her love, her fear, and her obedience; even at 16 she had found him attractive. However, now she hoped that if she saw him there'd be a little less glitter, at that she chuckled to herself. Wasn't any worse than some of the things she had dated. At 16 she wouldn't have known what to do with him. Now… Now the thought made her smirk.

"Well, well, well, the Labyrinth is full of unexpected things, but this… what would you say? … Takes the cake!" She could feel the smile pulling the corners of his mouth "Sarah, my dear, you positively look like the cat who ate the canary."

She gasped. Her eyes shooting open at the shock of his voice appearing out of nowhere. With the emphasis he put on certain words, it absolutely seemed as if he had an idea of where her mind had wandered. It was a good sign that her eyes could in fact shoot open. But now her body was betraying her in other ways, she could feel the flush spread across her cheeks and out to her extremities. Welp, she was certainly warm now. And perhaps, just perhaps, she might be able to get some answers out of him.

She blinked slowly. There standing over her, silhouetted against the sky, was a man. She could see that his hair was still shoulder-length and streaky blond. His amulet still glinted around his neck. His shirt was a gentle grey, still open down the front, and loose-sleeved. Over it he wore an auburn leather jacket. He was shod in boots, over dark pants, and on his hands were gloves. He was, in fact, a little more understated than she had remembered of her last time in the Labyrinth, but if what he had said was true, much of her time here had been constructed around her, that made sense. He looked a little tired even. How much could she really trust though? He had cheated her before, manipulated her. She sighed dramatically. Here she was laying on the ground, trying to formulate some tart response, just to let him know that he still had no power over her. "Being beat once wasn't enough for you? You had to bring me back here for round two?" At her words his eyes flashed, and lips pursed. So, he did not like being reminded of his defeat.

"I can assure you, my dear Sarah, I did not bring you here to run my Labyrinth again" He offered her a hand with his words. She took it and he firmly but gently brought her to a sitting position.

"But you did bring me here?" She dropped his hand immediately and looked at him now, accusatorily. "Send me back, now." Her words were firm, a command. She was not sure if pleading with him would work. Past Sarah would have been to proud, adult Sarah knew how to use her right words. "Please, send me back. It's not too late." She would not let him see her cry, though she could feel tears welling up. Something in Jareth's face softened at that, he lowered himself to eye level and looked deep into her eyes.

"I cannot." His voice was soft, almost tender, and spiked with a tinge of regret. The pitch of his voice rose changed with his next few words entreating her. "Do you not understand, that I cannot." Not a question. It was a desperate plea. She could feel the truth in his words, and while she could not trust him fully. There was no lie in his words. He reached out as though he were about to push her mussed hair back. He stopped himself short and took a deep breath before speaking again. "It's a pity Sarah, I want nothing more than to send you back to your life above." Rising abruptly with those words, he reached out his hand to her once more. She took his hand.

A grin of recognition at his own cleverness spread across his face as he began to recite, "Come away, oh human chil-" He paused, looked her up and down, lavishing his gaze upon her body. His eyes lingering just a little too long. If it was possible, his grin grew even wider. He waggled his eyebrows at her as he spoke next. "That poem, is not exactly fitting anymore." With that last remark he hoisted her up and began to lead her towards the entrance of the Labyrinth. 


	3. Chapter 3

Living

_At times you have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful -Alan Alda_

Sarah was slightly uneasy, but she followed Jareth to the entrance of the Labyrinth, her gut was telling her this was what she needed to do, even if her mind was screaming. They passed the cottage she knew once belonged to Hoggle. There was no smoke from the chimney. The pond was overgrown and foul smelling – well more foul than the last time she'd been here. As she noticed these small details the air of neglect hit her, his home was empty. "Where is he Goblin King?" her tone was wary.  
"You mean Hoggetowne?" She snapped back "You know I mean Hoggle, would it hurt for you to learn his name? Speaking of names, what should I call you?"

He laughed, as always loyal to her friends. He composed himself and sweetly replied "Goblin King, Ruler of the Labyrinth, Sovereign of Dreams, Emperor Divine…"

She rolled her eyes at his words. She didn't miss a beat "How about… His Nibs? King of Cocky?" Her tone was tart and with her final suggestion her eyes drifted below his belt. His eyebrows raised so far, he could have sworn they had hit his hairline. He knew already, but this was obviously not the sixteen-year-old Sarah who had run his Labyrinth nearly 13 years ago. Internally he chuckled, he had kept some tabs on her Aboveground, she wasn't the innocent girl of so many years before. She'd grown into a mature woman. She was so sure of herself, of who she was. This excited him in a way that her innocence could not, but it also made him nervous. A woman like that could topple entire kingdoms. He set his face straight, and smiled ear to ear. "Jareth will do for now." And with a wink he added "Possibly, your majesty, in formal settings."

"Jareth, it is." He smiled at her words, it brought him joy to hear his name on her lips. This is what he had wanted all those years ago. His heart dropped; this is not how he wanted this to pass though. They passed through the gate into the Labyrinth on the outer wall.

Down the path of endless walls, still desolate as ever. She was nervous, the last time she was here it had been a race for her brother's life, her heart jumped a little into her throat at that thought. The branches no longer pulled at her hair and clothes. It was as if they knew she was accompanying their ruler, no stray branches tangled in her or Jareth's hair. She was uncomfortable, here was her nemesis leading her. Why had she decided to follow him? Why had her heart told her he was not deceiving her? Was this trust in him?

She vaguely recognized where she had met the worm so many years ago, swearing she caught a glimpse of blue fur out of the corner of her eye. Jareth led her into the alcove of so many years ago and took a left.

The path was fairly straight for the Labyrinth. It was lined with stone pavers, the hedges were fairly well groomed, and the goblin village and castle were almost directly down the gently winding path.

"Are you kidding me, I could have walked straight there?" The exasperation in Sarah's voice was not masked at all. She was almost fuming.

Her humanity was infectious, Jareth chuckled softly under his breath. "At the beginning of your journey through my Labyrinth, you did not know what questions to ask. My dear Sarah, you would not have learned half as much on a path as direct as this." Her face showed that she was slightly taken aback at his comment, he watched that melt away to agreement with his words, but it did not stop her from quipping back.

"Well it would have been a lot less stress!" He laughed at her veracity. As they neared the castle more beings were appearing along the path, scattered here and there. Path was the wrong word for it, it had begun to widen into a road. Creatures ranging from the fantastical to almost human, lived here. The inhabitants gave Sarah curious glances but looked at Jareth warily. Sarah could have been mistaken in her assessment of their gazes, the sun had begun to dip and had begun to cast odd shadows on her vision here. However even through all that, nothing was as exaggerated or grotesque as she had remembered.

They approached what was unmistakably the Junk City from her time in the Labyrinth, but it was not the same place it had been the last time she had been here. It was still chaotic, a mess even. Sarah felt her pace slow as she began to gape. But what had once been heaps of junk were now crooked rows of tents, mismatched and oft precarious. There were fabric drapes and lights strung between the rows, glittering. When she took a closer glance, she could see pixies flitting back and forth, lighting the globes, here and there she could see one or two taking a break in the globe itself. They looked so harmless now but she shivered just a touch remembering how fierce their bite had been the last time she was here.

It was a night market and it was beginning to awaken, like something out of her dreams or the pages of the Thousand and One Nights. The smells and noises still soft, however it was obvious that as twilight fell this market would come to life, beings were already starting to file in. Goblins, fey, all creatures great and small were beginning to congregate. Tiny pixies flitted to and fro, tall graceful men and women who appeared positively ethereal, little misshapen creatures followed oversized features to interesting smells and shining sights, it was a cacophony of many creatures.

The smell of food cooking and the colours of the wares throughout the stalls, were an assault on her senses. They made her head spin. She could feel the cold creeping around the edges, Jareth's arm fortified her. She was tired, but the urge to explore was there nagging her. She knew nothing was what it seems in the Labyrinth, but this was next level, crazy. To sate her curiosity, she turned to Jareth "What is this place? I remember this being nothing but junk the last time I was here."

Jareth turned to her, his pace finally slowing to match hers, his eyebrow raised. "Why Sarah, do you take me as lazy?" She looked back at him her eyebrow also beginning to raise, nearly matching him, she began to open her mouth to counter him. He did not miss a beat "The world you encountered here as a child was designed to scare you. Honestly Sarah, it is a very small part of this world, that I exaggerated with my magic. I do it for all my runners." Extra mischief stole over his countenance, and he chuckled. "However, I will admit that I took extra pleasure in the work I did for your run." At the sound of the mirth in his voice the nearest citizens of the Labyrinth, busied themselves. As if the sound of Jareth's mischief made them nervous.

She couldn't blame them. She snarked back, "I am so glad I amuse you so, your majesty." Punctuating her statement with a mock bow. She wasn't sure it was possible, but his eyebrow went even higher, his grin spread even further across his face. "You have no idea, precious thing"

She straightened at that, as if a ramrod had been shoved up her spine. She wanted to both explore this new version of the Labyrinth, but she also just wanted to return home. What if she was only here because of Jareth's mischief, for his amusement? Her heart dropped and her stomach was leaden.

He could see the discomfort on her face, his face softened, and he bowed to her gracefully, extending a hand to take hers. The real bow, to her mocking one. She was unsure as she gently placed her hand in his, this was like the scene of a play. He gently raised it to his lips and softly into the back of her hand murmured "I have not and will not lie to you Sarah, I cannot outright lie. I cannot, as things are, return you home. It is on my word as the Goblin King that you shall stay in the Labyrinth as my most cherished and honored guest."

The beings who had busied themselves earlier were openly and unabashedly staring at Jareth in this exchange. No one had seen him promise anyone anything, until this day, in that small moment in the middle of the awakening Night Market. Every being knew that if he did something for someone else, it was an investment that would return a percentage when you called on it. Not an act of kindness but calculation. Entertainment was a payment of sorts to the king, but his entertainment often came at the detriment of others. He was a trickster and anyone with any brains in the Labyrinth knew it.

Sarah was comforted by his words and action, but she still could not wrap her head around why she was here and why she could not go home. She also knew that there was nothing she could do about it in this moment. She stomped down her panic, took a deep breath, and did her best to relax. Her shoulders dropped, Jareth breathed an internal sigh of relief, he twined her arm through his and began to continue the walk towards the castle. "If I am a cherished guest, I can come back here and explore soon?" Jareth smiled gently and replied, "Yes precious, you shall have all the time in the world to explore."

Twilight set around them as they continued through the market, they approached the tall walls that surrounded the Goblin City. They passed through a grand gate, not closed or reinforced as her last experience with the gates into the Goblin City, but a splendid archway. Jareth could see the question on her face. "Same as before Sarah, I enhanced your experience here on your run... This is also a different gate."

He felt her pull as she slowed to look at the intricate carvings in the gate. "Is this a... story?" she asked as her fingers traced over the intricate vines framing the larger reliefs. He nodded as he looked up at the large image in front of her. He could see the wonder creep into her being. "Not all of the creatures of my Labyrinth have the ability to read, no attention spans you see, or it can be very inconvenient depending on their sizes. Important events, fables, and prophecies pertaining to the Labyrinth are carved all along the walls of the city as per our traditions." He looked down at her awed face, he had to agree with her this was one of the more spectacular pieces. The magic of the Labyrinth had outdone itself, the carved plants framing the tale of the realms, he could see his family's faces staring out at him. It wasn't his favourite though, his favourite was rather bittersweet. "You know Sarah, you are on our walls as well."

She gasped, returning his gaze. "I am? Can I see it?" He smiled at her wonder, she had grown so much but her enthusiasm and humanity shone through still, however it was definitely more polished than she had been so many years ago. He chuckled a little darkly to himself, the Labyrinth had a sense of humor in its placement of Sarah's run. His own personal gardens, his orchard wall. As she had been the first in a long time to best his Labyrinth and the only to hold any actual sway over his heart, the magic had a wicked sense of humor. "Yes, Sarah, all in due time."

Her eyes narrowed at that, "Due time? What is that supposed to mean?" When she looped her arm through his it was a little more vigorously than was necessary. He smirked at her chagrin "Meaning it will be better seen in daylight, first we should get you settled." He rested his hand on their linked arms and steered her past the dwellings of the goblin city and towards the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

Settling

_That should be the most joyful moment, and actually it's not. It's always a moment that's full of fear because you know, as night follows day, the joy is going to rapidly be followed by some pain `or other. – Dame Helen Mirren_

Jareth had been nothing but a generous host. He'd given her quarters in one of the turrets of his castle, she had to negotiate the stair room to get to it. She thought that Jareth had done that on purpose, the look of false innocence on his face when she accused him of mischief as he showed her to her rooms for the first time was definitely confirmation. It was a lot like riding a bike though, once she gained her feet, she had no problems following Jareth up the stairs, even though they were most certainly upside down.

Her quarters were in a circular tower, with views of the Goblin City and night market on one side and what appeared to be gardens and woods on the other. When she asked Jareth about it he explained it was the Kingswood and gardens that supplied the Castle, beyond the woods Kingswood there were farms that supplied the Goblin City and the Labyrinth banded it all narrowly, though runners weren't often funneled into that area. Not even the labyrinth was that cruel. Jareth warned her of the Kingswood then and there, it was not inherently dangerous but a place of power that had been there since long before the construction of the castle and labyrinth and much of the power of the labyrinth and its inhabitants originated from there. He explained that she shouldn't be afraid of it, but deferential. She didn't need to be told twice; she would stay far away from there.

Her rooms were lavish, the bedroom took up much of the tower space. But to just call it a bedroom would be selling it short. The walls were covered in tapestries and murals, in deep rich jewel tones, primarily greens, burgundies, and blues. There was a large carved stone fireplace, raised and hooded to prevent smoke accumulation. A small seating area, with a chaise, a small couch and an ottoman near enough to the fire to be comfortable, but also placed to take full advantage of the windows. A large set of bookshelves were built into the wall, they had been neglected however there weren't very many books or even knickknacks and they looked barren, and to Sarah, kind of sad. Near the bookshelves was a writing table. A changing screen and standing mirror were placed in front of what was the closet. Everything was rich and plush.

The bed was the star of the room, huge and carved to look like what could only be described as a bower. It was as if the bed had been lifted from the woods. The bed was canopied in delicate vines and leaves, the posts were trees, and the headboard was covered in flowers. The bed itself was plush and covered in soft furs and linens, she knew it would be incredible to sink into. The first time she laid eyes on it, Sarah couldn't help herself her eyebrow shot up at the sheer size of it. "How many people am I sharing this with?" she asked sarcastically while gesturing at the bed. Jareth chuckled and smirked at that, he purred slowly, "Well, my dear, as many as you'd like" then paused to allow his words to wash over her. "However, from experience more than 5 can get a bit crowded" he added in a bit of a clipped tone with a pose. She blushed. She was definitely more adult and experienced since the last time she'd been here, but her filters were down, and she had pictured nude bodies intertwined on the bed. A tangle of beautiful bare bodies, framing the specimen in front of her. The blush intensified. "Oh my dear one" he chuckled, moving his face closer to hers "you haven't lost that precious imagination" he tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear and straightened up to show her more of her quarters.

She had been mildly concerned about the whole bathroom situation, did fae and goblins use bathrooms? But she had nothing to worry about. It was full of modern conveniences… done magically. The floor was tiled, forming a beautiful mosaic depicting sea creatures. Live flowers and vines grew around the walls. There was a large stone tub, sunk into the floor, full of warm water. It was fed by a cascade coming from the wall. The cascade was large and could probably be used as a shower. She was sure that it couldn't be sanitary, but the tub was beautiful and inviting, and the water seemed to be cycling. It looked as though the bathroom had been lifted from a river in a far off jungle, a rock feature with a waterfall into a temple built for a god of water. But the water was the perfect temperature for her. There were bottles upon bottles of potions placed on built in shelves, all around the room. The sink was fed much like the tub, just on a smaller scale. There was also a door that led to the water closet, which was tastefully tucked into a corner, behind what could only be described as a sea glass wall. A couple of windows let in the last of the daylight making the translucent wall glow, Sarah hoped that it wouldn't show off all her assets when she needed to use the commode, but she also figured she'd be the only one in the bathroom and the tower was so high that privacy would not be an issue.

There was also a balcony that wrapped the tower, not quite all the way around but enough that if she wanted to gaze at the bustle of the city she could, if she wanted the calm of the woods she could walk to the other end, if she wanted to be somewhere in between she could prop herself on the sturdy railing in front of the doors leading back to the room. Much like she and the Goblin King were propped now, the cool night wind blowing through her hair. She could see the stars and let out a sigh, everything was so beautiful here, but it was still not home. She knew that Jareth wasn't lying when he said he could not send her home; she'd prodded him a few times and he's been nothing but forthright with her. But she couldn't kick the feeling that he'd brought her here. The feeling was overwhelming, she could feel tears welling up. She could feel him move closer to her, his body heat transmitting to her through the cool night air. She leaned into him the comfort he was offering was just too tempting, and he put an arm around her shoulder, supporting her. "I am sorry, Sarah" he spoke softly and gently, as if he knew just how fragile she was in this moment. She'd never heard him apologize for real. This felt real. She cried.

He pulled her close. Allowing her to cry into him, leaning against him he bore her weight. She quieted as she cried it out, she accepted his guidance as he led her back into her room.

She wasn't sure when it had happened, but someone had started and banked the fire, and brought and laid out a large shirt on her bed. Jareth picked it up, led her to the changing screen, and carefully handed it to her over the panels. He turned away pointedly and waited for her to emerge. He laughed internally when she did emerge, the servants had brought one of his larger shirts for her to wear, it made sense, most of his subjects had gone home for the night. But it was definitely interesting seeing Sarah in his oversized shirt, it grazed just above her knees, he'd have to thank whomever was on duty tonight. Even though both of them were exhausted, she was still beautiful, and he was still grateful. "Come Sarah, we must sleep" he wasn't leaving the room though, he was moving towards the bed? Her brows shot up at his words and she began to splutter. Internally, she wasn't sure she was ready to be alone. And as delicious as the Goblin King was, she wasn't ready for anything spicy. He crossed his arms at her reaction and fashioned his face into a mask of mild annoyance, "Sarah, we both know you are in no condition for such funny business and I am a gentleman. Contrary to your belief." His expression punctuated his statement and he glared at her pointedly.

She looked at her feet ashamed, wiggling her toes into the plush rug that was placed to prevent the stones from being cold when feet were bare while changing. She sighed, almost in defeat "I'm not sure I'm ready to be alone" Jareth's face softened at this for a brief second, he understood that feeling.

"Sarah, I will be here for you in whatever capacity you need." His tone shifted after that and more mischievously he delivered "Who can blame your thoughts? I am magnetic" he grinned at her.

She sighed actually defeated this time, hopping up onto the bed. She was correct this bed was marvelous. As she sank into the bed, pulling covers around her, she pointedly patted the bed on top of the covers "Will you please stay with me for a little while longer? I'm not sure I can sleep just yet." He gracefully hoisted himself onto the bed, a little closer than she had patted, but still on top of the covers. She watched the fire, before settling back into the pillows. She was exhausted and melancholic, but her mind was buzzing in the new surroundings, she asked Jareth all manner of questions about the castle and labyrinth, her new home. Finally, she began to drift off, Jareth kept talking to her, answering her questions calmly and evenly, droning on about the mundane aspects of his existence. The exhaustion of the day was beginning to catch up with him as well. What was he going to do with this woman back in his life? He'd kept an eye on her for years, she was everything about humanity he admired and coveted. He was fairly certain he loved her; he would not have crossed his brother otherwise. Selfishly he was happy she was here with him; however, he could feel the storm brewing. He was not certain they would both survive what was in store. 


	5. Chapter 5

_But if you turn it this way, look into it, it will show you your dreams. _

The next morning, Jareth was gone. She could have sworn he had been there most of the night, her mind was fuzzy. And though she had not had any bad dreams, they had all been quite pleasant in fact, she had awoken a few times in the night. Awoken to the feeling of the creeping cold of the dream that had brought her to the Labyrinth. Every time she had awoken she could feel the familiar warmth of the Goblin King still above her covers, not some much droning any more as breathing in the soft and consistent rhythm of a deep slumber. The sound warmed her and lured her back to sleep every time.

An army of fae and goblin servants descended upon her room that first morning, measuring her for clothes, feeding her, tending the fire, explaining the bottles in the bathroom, and finally tidying up the bed she had slept in. The whole process took less than 15 minutes, it had been a whirlwind. The squat creature who was obviously in charge explained that she should take her time to eat and bathe, by the time she was done there would be at least a couple of sets of clothes ready for her. At Sarah's insistence none of the creatures stayed behind to help her bathe. The small creature who was in charge, guffawed at this and stated that she was "Just like the master."

It was a light meal, but she was grateful she would have felt bad wasting food. She gingerly sipped what could only be described as a fruit tea, it had undertones of peach which made her cringe a little if she thought too hard, but it was delicious. It felt like drinking a warm summer afternoon. Peaches had never tasted right above, after her last time in the Labyrinth. She found the tea bracing, and her appetite returned after a cup. There was bread and butter on the tray, and they were fresh and lovely. There were a couple of pieces of fruit she had never seen before in colours that would not have been natural for food above, like purple melon and berries that looked like cherries with an iridescent sheen. They tasted odd but not bad, she looked forward to asking Jareth about them later and if there were these maybe there were more things to try. There were also pieces of fruit she'd have eaten above; apples, pomegranates, and blackberries, but it was the best versions of those fruit. She was sure that the above fruit would have tasted like ash on her tongue. She chuckled a little darkly when she came to the pomegranate segment, "As above so below… but who am I? Persephone?" She realized with some sadness that it might be closer to the truth than she really wanted to focus on. She left that particular piece on the plate.

After her breakfast she decided to heed the maid and bathe, even though they had explained the bottles, she had no idea where to begin. The pool was warm and no matter how many of the bottles she opened and poured on herself and into the water, it remained fresh and clean as it cycled through. The potions scents stayed on her skin even as she soaked, and she wondered if this was why Jareth always smelled good, even in the Bog of Eternal Stench. She blushed at her thoughts and sunk back into the water, trying to clear her mind. When her blush had subsided her mind began to wander. She pondered how she had gotten here, when she thought back to the darkness, she could feel the cold creeping in. She did her best to move her thoughts away from that cold, but it took a few minutes for it to subside, even in the warm pool. She began to weep. She wept until she could not weep anymore. She wept until the warm water had thawed her and carried away all her tears, until she felt at peace. She could have spent all day soaking in that tranquil room, but was mildly terrified what would happen if the Goblin King came looking for her. She wrapped herself in one of the large bath sheets and dried herself.

As Sarah left the bathroom, the army of seamstresses brought her a couple of sets of clothes, with apologies that they were so plain, and promises for nicer clothes later. Plain was not what Sarah would call them. There were a couple of sets of feminine versions of what Jareth wore, white poet shirts and pants in soft linens, the boots were suede and not quite a perfect fit but fairly comfortable nonetheless. She was impressed in what had been accomplished in an hour. There was also a dress much like the one she used to play in. The top appeared fitted and the full skirts flowed out from her waist, it was a cobalt blue with emerald embroidery around the hems, and it buttoned down the front with tiny opals, the sleeves were fitted with buttons. It was simple and opulent at the same time, and she never knew when she'd wear it, but she wanted to.  
For today she settled on a basic pants set, poet shirt, and the boots, no sooner had she dressed and glanced confusedly at the hair dressing implements on the small table, she heard a knock on her door. She breathed a sigh of relief not having to figure out that particular puzzle just yet. She opened the door to the bedroom to see Jareth leaning on the door. His eyes moved from her boots, slowly up her body, coming to rest on the damp messy hair framing her face.  
He smiled at that, she must have dismissed the servants, just like he did. Her eyes met his, as the smile reached them. His eyebrows rose, "Well precious, don't you look stunning? That clothing suits you. But it seems you've been attacked!" his lips curled from a smile to mischievous smirk, he reached out to tuck a strand behind her ear. She started and backed up a step. He chuckled darkly "Precious I will not harm you, Let me help you." He stepped over the threshold carefully and herded her back to the mirror and the small table with the hair tools on it. He didn't touch her this time, he had seen how she had recoiled, she must still be adjusting, she had heard her tossing and turning last night, it had been torture not to pull her into his arms, hopefully the dreams he had sent had been enough. "Turn towards the mirror, Sarah."

Sarah turned toward the mirror, in the mirror she saw him move his hands. The movement was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Nor could she stop a startled squeak, when the comb, hair sticks, and large needle threaded with ribbon flew towards her head. She jumped. "What is happening?" She tried to turn towards him, he chuckled and told her to be still. When she had turned she could've sworn she saw orbs, much like soap bubbles out of the corner of her eye, but nothing appeared in the mirror. She watched in awe as her hair was neatly braided, then coiled onto her head, and sewn into place and held with the ribbon. As complicated as it sounded the result was simple, elegant, and most importantly practical. The tools flew back to their respective spots on the table. She asked him about the various pieces, and patiently Jareth explained that the combs and hair sticks could be used not only to detangle and section her hair, but also to hold her hair in place. He demonstrated on a small section of his hair, the result was a neat tight bun. Sarah had a feeling it would be a lot of messy buns in her future without his assistance, but it was good to know how these things worked, it seemed no one used elastic bands in the Underground.

She turned to Jareth, "Thank you" the wonder was still in her voice. She paused her hands gently passing over the tools he had just used to dress her hair, "It seems I have so much to learn about this place. I have so many questions, I hardly know where to begin:" She paused at that, it was as though she was going through all the questions in her mind. Jareth chuckled internally at this, he was happy she was trying to become acclimated to her new life here, he chuckled even harder when she tried to play nonchalant about her curiosity. Her ego was much like his, he was noticing. "Why are the bookshelves in here so sad? You do have books here, I assume. Even if some of your subjects can't read. You'd have to have somewhere to document information more mundane than the great legends and stories on the walls." Her words gaining strength as she puzzled through the stream of her consciousness. His eyebrows shot up because he words were almost accusatory at the end of her statement, she had whirled on him by that point. He was happy to see some of the feistiness returning to her. "That reminds me what were those weird fruits with my breakfast this morning?"  
He actually laughed at that, of course she was still an avid reader, "Why don't you check the 'sad' bookshelves, for the answers?" He could barely sidestep her as she barreled past him to grab the book that was sitting on the shelf, as if it had been there forever.  
She picked up the book, it was an encyclopedia of the flora and fauna of the Underground. She looked at it in wonder as it fell open to the page that began the section that had the varieties of edible plants. "Does this work for all my questions? Could I ask it anything?!" She was amazed as she was scrambling for another question he answered her.  
"Yes and no, if you know what to ask and your perspective is correct it can be the most helpful bookshelf in the world." He punctuated this by pulling a crystal out of the air, and turning it to demonstrate 'perspective.' It was mesmerizing. "However, my dear Sarah, much like any magic it can be fickle, vague, but also very forthcoming. Much like a lover." He threw in the last statement with a flourish of the crystal as he made it vanish, and a lascivious waggle of his brows. She rolled her eyes and huffed at that. He was disappointed he had not gotten a blush out of her, this time, but she was so delicious to tease.  
"Could it tell me more about the history here? And all those carvings along the walls?" With her words he noticed a large book out of the corner of his eye. "What about my run?" He scrambled. It would be best to tell her about where it had shown up and his reaction to it, before she had the satisfaction of reading *that* particular chapter in that book.  
"Yes, but it would probably be better to show you that!" And with those words he extended his arm to lead her out the door. She took it, looking wistfully back at the shelf that was now full of books, as though it had never been empty. 


End file.
